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Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Drinkme Beverages has a New Look!

With the help of: California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC)

About

Drinkme Beverages produces 100% organic, whole-food, cold-blended smoothies. The company was founded in 2007 by Christina Paganalli, who at the time was undergoing radiation treatment for thyroid cancer and taking medication for multiple sclerosis. To ease the side effects of radiation and medications, she dedicated herself to developing raw, whole-food, plant-based nutritional smoothies. Drinkme whole-food smoothies are produced in both Canada and the United States and are available online and in retail stores in both countries. 

The Challenge

In 2014, Drinkme smoothies were sold through retail outlets across the U.S., including Whole Foods. When the company’s co-packer abruptly filed Chapter 11, Drinkme was unable to fulfill purchase orders from larger retailers. Following a challenging five-year period during which Ms. Paganalli stopped production and developed new production and marketing strategies, Drinkme Beverages started a rebuilding process. The company relaunched in 2021 with new U.S. and Canadian websites and production facilities. Ms. Paganalli reached out to CMTC, part of the MEP National Network™, for mentoring and coaching support during the company’s relaunch.
Working with a coach and mentor from CMTC is really helpful – it gives me the ability to have a weekly dialogue so I can troubleshoot issues. Even though I don’t need a lot of hand holding, having an expert mentor is definitely in my comfort zone!
— Christina Paganalli, CEO

MEP's Role

CMTC provided one-to-one coaching and mentoring related to long-term visioning, target marketing, negotiating with manufacturers, and e-commerce strategies. Ms. Paganalli said that weekly virtual meetings with her CMTC coach “helped [her] navigate the waters of bootstrapping” Drinkme Beverages’ redesign.
Created July 28, 2022